Government to accept NA Committee decision on Parliament Lodges

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Monday referred the Parliament Lodges Phase-II’s construction project to the Housing and Library Committee of National Assembly, and said the Government would accept its decision.Speaking in the National Assembly, after Opposition Leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan raised objections to the project, the Prime Minister said he sought details from Cabinet Division, Planning Division, Law and Parliamentary Affairs and National Assembly and was informed that various projects are initiated by different departments in Islamabad.He said Parliament Lodges project was initiated in 2008, and the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) with Deputy Chairman Planning Commission in the chair approved it in September 2009. Later the project was presented to Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) headed by the then Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin, which also approved it on January 21 2010.While the Housing and Library Committee of the National Assembly also approved it.He, however, said contrary to the perception as if the project would cost Rs. 2.90 billion, in fact its actual cost would be Rs. 410 million, which had already been approved.He said the construction would take place in phases.Prime Minister said he has directed the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to reserve three percent quota for journalists in all the sectors of the federal capital – APP